PQQ and the Little Engine that Could Whenever I talk to my clients about different products and
their benefits, I tend to get all excited and launch into conversations with
words like mitochondrial
biogenesis, adenosine triphosphate, and coenzyme / cofactors and I watch their
eyes glaze over as they search for the door. I realize, at that point, I
better dial it back a bit, otherwise, I’ll never get them as excited, as I hope
they would get, about a supplement. One product Dr. Kendall Stewart, MD and I are excited about
is PQQ or Pyrroloquinoline
quinone, I know, that’s a mouthful, so let’s stick to PQQ. Although it is not
currently viewed as a vitamin, it is a vitamin-like compound likely to be
considered an essential nutrient in the future with a wide range of benefits to
brain and body function. Before I launch into one of my exciting discourses on mitochondrial
biogenesis and such, let’s first get down to the basics, the mitochondria--
your cell’s power-plant. Think of it this way, there are hundreds of muscles in our
body; in each muscle there are thousands of fibers. In each fiber there are
millions of microscopic sections. Every time we move a muscle, each section
reflexes or contracts independently. ATP is the blast of metabolic energy that
makes that happen. It takes one molecule of ATP in order to make one of those
sections have the energy to either reflex or contract just once. 36 ATP are produced from 1 glucose molecule. WOW!
So obviously we need glucose, but we also need all the cofactors and coenzymes,
(vitamins and minerals) such as, many of our B vitamins, to make just 36
molecules of ATP. Like the engine in a locomotive, this is all done in the
mitochondria. In
order to increase mitochondrial output, there must be adequate fuel supply for
combustion and abundant antioxidants to scavenge free radical by-products. Think of free-radicals as the rust on your car when the paint is oxidized.
That can actually happen to your tissue cells, otherwise known as oxidative
stress. Anti-oxidants keep us from—rusting J. PQQ is also an extremely powerful
antioxidant compared to other antioxidants. For example, PQQ is able to carry
out 20,000 catalytic conversions compared to only 4 for vitamin C. Preserving
our energy reserves and increasing energy output is a critical part of
maintaining optimal health. There are many things that can drain energy
reserves. Lack of sleep, too much stress, poor nutrition, and prescription
medications can draw on our energy reserves using them up faster than they can
be replenished. PQQ
not only protects mitochondria from oxidative stress—it also promotes the
spontaneous generation of new mitochondria within aging cells, a process known
as mitochondrial biogenesis. There I go again! Suffice to say, this effect is a
“fountain of youth” for mitochondrial function. Here is an interesting factoid: PQQ has recently been
tentatively identified as a component of interstellar dust. Thus, PQQ may have
been present throughout early biological conception and evolution. Current
research has primarily focused on its ability to protect memory and cognition
in both aging animals and humans. Here are just some of the effects noted in
these studies:
- PQQ reverses cognitive impairment caused
by chronic oxidative stress and improve performance on memory tests.
- PQQ supplementation stimulates the
production and release of nerve growth factor.
- PQQ protects brain cells against oxidative
damage in models of strokes.
- PQQ protects the brain against
neurotoxicity induced by other powerful toxins, including mercury, and glutamate.
- PQQ prevents development of a protein associated
with Parkinson’s disease.
- PQQ also protects nerve cells from the
damaging effects of the beta-amyloid-protein linked with Alzheimer’s
disease.
The product that I’m excited about, that just came out
today, is Mito Cell
PQQ by Neuro Biologix. The great thing about Mito Cell is that it is PQQ and Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Acetyl L-Carnitine, and NADH combined. Why is that great?
Because now that we know what PQQ is, CoQ10 in the ignition of the cell, like
the ignition in your car, it turns on the engine. I know that many of you are scratching your head and saying
sounds like a great product, but it’s all Greek to me. Be sure and take a look
at my upcoming blogs and I’ll tell why this is a brilliant product!! Best of Health!
Radhia Gleis, Wellness Expert
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